16 wheel pick-up?

[trammayo]

Those of us that run Bachmann Big Haulers on track pick-up will experience the wearing away of the wheel plating (drivers).

I have run mine until the copper underplating shows through. The major downside is that conductivity is severely affected. Showing my trailer layout, several of my BHs are causing problems. As I have seven of these locos, I have been giving the problem some thought.

I thought of battery power, new chassis, etc. In the short to medium term, I am contemplating modifying the tenders into 8 wheel pick up. My initial attempt is somewhat inelegant (or crude) but it does work!

One of my favourite locos is the V&T - so, as this is popular, it was the first to get the treatment.

The tyre wear ....

I dismantled the underside so I could solder a pair of wires to the brass contact strips, and drilled a pair of holes to lead the wires out of the chassis. There are a pair of notches in the cover plate which allowed the wires to see daylight and I drilled another pair of holes in the cab support framework to bring the wires out behind the cab.

With regards to the tender, I chose some 1mm brass rod to make the simple pick-ups. I used the bogie frame screws to locate the pick-ups. The pick-ups make contact near the wheel centres - thus reducing friction. The wire from the tender (and loco) is some 1.5mm stripped out of some flex. I used a lighter gauge wire for solder to the pick-ups (so as not to interfere with the bogies' movement) and both trucks feed to the centrally placed connector block.

Connecting plugs were a problem. The best solution to hand (but not the neatest) was to use some 5amp block plugs. They are clumsy and obtrusive but, since taking these pics I have painted the exposed wires and blocks in black.

Having "belled out" the wiring - it's paramount that the tender pick-ups are the same polarity as the loco's - I carried out a live test on the garden track. No problems - she ran smoothly over uncleaned track.

I intend to convert at least another four of the BHs - plus I can think of at leasr another three Bachmann (and a couple of Aristo locos) that would be enormously improved by this.

I need to get some more wire and less obtrusive plugs. I thought of making a socket in the tender headstock but I didn't have enough clearance (with the plugs to hand) between the bogie wheels and the underside of the tender floor.

AS for replacing the tender wheels? Once the plating wears on those, they can be swapped with similar wheels from rolling stock. Any new wheels purchased will also allow 'worn' wheels to replace pastic wheelsets.

 

[philg]

Have to agree with most of the above - coming from the smaller scales and using track power I've always fitted as many pickups as possible. I've used 1mm plugs and sockets from Maplin to join loco and tender. The scratchbuilt tender for my Beyer Mogul uses LGB type sprung carbon brush pickups which you can buy as spares and work very well - on this loco the connection to the tender is via the drawbar using no plugs at all, a trick lovingly ripped off from the Hornby "Schools" if I remember rightly.
It's well worth installing decent metal wheelsets wherever you can, too

Phil

 

[trammayo]

Batteries are one way (which would be fine for the garden) - but its all an extra cost - and I run two or three trains at a time on my trailer layout so track power is the only way I can shut everything down instantly.

I assume that some manufacturers have a better quality plating system for the wheels - Bachmann's seems more of a quick dip to me. I will get some suitable plugs but need to convert at least one more loco before next Sunday. Post from UK takes at least five working days (there are six in the UK and only five here).

I don't know if the lower voltage I operate on (12v all the time) is a contributory factor in the build-up of dirt.

 

[beavercreek]

A good remedy Mick

If you have the Annie or Big hauler with the tender rear light, have you considered using that feed for the pick-up power lead taking the power back to the motor?
The light power feed provides constant supply (the rear light is an led with a current dropping resistor) from the motor connections so it would also take the tender pick-up feed back to the motor. The plugs are already in situ between loco and tender so nothing extra to do. I have used this system to good effect.


Just make sure you get the polarity correct and do not change the polarity switch setting in the behind the smokebox door once the conversion is done :

 

[trammayo]

I'll give you five for that Mike I have an Annie on its back in the shed awaiting - I'll put the screws back in!

I have another two - so thats given me the impetus to get on with it (today - well when daylight comes ). Found a dinky socket & plug so that will now go on another sound only tender/loco.

Insomnia has a plus side!

Yes - polarity (and the NMRA switch) - excellent warning. Will test the circuits before applying 12 volts as I did with the loco above. Not allowed Fry-ups

 

[tramcar trev]

You can get electroplating kits, Jaynes supply them... I have Copper and Nickel. Job done in a small plastic Chinese food container. If you have enough copper on the wheels the problem would be solved, you would have to mask out the area you don't want plated....

 

[trammayo]

Hi Trev - yes I wondered about replating. trouble is, getting a polished finish on the wheel treads could be a problem. I've never had a drive wheel off the axle from a Big hauler - if there's a square shank then it would make refitting less of a problem (but dismantling might be?).

Would chrome plate deposit OK on existing chrome (or nickel)? The copper is showing through but not the die cast metal (as yet!). Equally, would the pitting be a problem and how would I get it clean enough to plate -i.e what acid?

 

[Dtsteam]

Although its a bit academic, as its probably not worth doing, the copper layer is the important one - if you got down the die cast then a finishing metal like chrome or nickel wouldn't take. I used to help a mate of mine plate Blackpool Towers and his batting order was palladium, copper ,nickel, gold. The rest were in heated tanks, but the gold was done in half a plastic jerry can, so they could put it in the safe at night !

I like the simplicity of what you have done - faffing about can wait for long winter nights,.

 

[trammayo]

Thanks for that David.

I know that things need to be polished if you want a nice smooth finish, otherwise the plating will just reflect whats underneath.

Anyway, thanks to Mike's suggestion about using the lighting plug from the tender, I've converted one of my Annies. It came from Stuart (Marshman), nearly didn't survive Royal Mail's scrum half, then it dropped from an indecent height needing more repairs (never pick an Annie up by the sand dome !).

It was still picking up OK but so were the others until they didn't.

Only three downsides (call me Klutz) - the red wire dropped out of the tender light, then I lost the tender brake wheel (sawdust and other small particles on the floor - wouldn't win a tidy workshop award at the moment) and have run out of brass wire.

I couldn't find out how the light came apart (tried removing the lens with the tip of an Exacto knife but no joy). Brake hand wheel still lost. Some 1mm brass wire ordered off ebay.

Engine posed - runs fine.

 

[trammayo]

I had posted this in G Scale Pictures (Ox Mountain Railway) inter-alia with my testing of trains etc.

As this section of the Forum has been repaired, I thought it more appropiate to continue here.

After converting more Bachmann locos, my attention turned to one of my Buddy Ls (yes the L is in the right place for the time being). I've previously worked on this loco, modifying the single axle pony truck to stop it derailing on points and R1 curves.

It has some interesting sounds and is well liked at shows. In particular, I like the warning bell when running tender first. However, like a number of my locos, the wheels were suffering from worn wheel plating so it was time to add tender pick-ups.

I made and fitted my (now) standard brass wire contacts as per previous posts above. I used one of the plug/sockets I have to hand. They are rather large (over 40mm combined length) but I found this particular loco offered a better solution - an inset socket.

Pictures speak louder than words (so they say) ...